Brussels, 10/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - During an informal working lunch, last Tuesday, with representatives from European employers (UNICE) in Brussels, the new Italian Minister for Productive Affairs (who manages the portfolios of industry and foreign trade) Antonio Marzano stated his "wanting champion the cause of SMEs", to "foster the spirit of enterprise and give entrepreneurs the freedom to decide how big their company should grow", an opinion shared by Francesco Bellotti, President of the SME group and UNICE and Vice-President of the Confindustria, according to a UNICE press release. Mr Marzano warned that "to much red tape, could hamper SMEs in growing at their own speed", move in agreement with UNICE, which recalls that "taxation often benefits large companies". The Minister finally announced, for this month, a new initiative aiming to re-invigorate the economic and which consists of granting to inventors from the public sector (universities, public research centres) the property of their inventions and a significant percentage of the royalties to bring more inventions to the market, which was welcomed by UNICE.